Tin can folder

ABSTRACT

A device for crushing and folding metal cans including a central lever having crushing means on one side thereof and a ridge on the other side adapted to crease the crushed can between two ridges on the base. The crease then provides for relatively easy folding of the can which can be accomplished using the crushing side of the device.

United States Patent 1191 J acobsen Dec. 1 10, 1974 1 TIN CAN FOLDER 3,667,386 6/1972 Workman, 100/010. 2 3,776,129 12/1973 Carlson 100/233 [76] Invent Lawrence Jambsen Browns 3,777,659 12/1973 McCarter 100/233 Valley, Minn. 56219 [22] Filed; May 29 1973 Primary ExaminerHarvey C. Hornsby 1 Assistant ExaminerRobert Pous [21] Appl. No.: 364,667

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 100/233, lOO/DlG. 2, 100/98 R A device for crushing and folding metal cans including [51] Int. Cl B30b 7/00, B30b 9/32 a central lever having crushing means on one side [58] Field of Search 100/233, DIG. 2, 295; thereof and a ridge on the other side adapted to crease 72/387 the crushed can between two ridges on the base. The crease then provides for relatively easy folding of the [56] References Cited can which can be accomplished using the crushing UNITED STATES PATENTS side of the device- 2,6l4,604 10/1952 Coffey lOO/DIG. 2 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TIN CAN FOLDER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to devices for reducing metal cans to a condition of greatly reduced bulk in which they can be .handled and shipped with reasonable economy.

Metal cans are widely used as economical containers for both food and beverages as well as for pressure propelled substances. When the cans are empty they have become a considerable nuisance because of both the number and particularly the bulk. If they can be reduced to an economical size for handling, they might be salvagable for scrap metal. Therefore, it is highly desirable to find some convenient way to make this reduction.

One way to reduce the bulk is to remove the ends of the can and then crush it with a foot. This is clumsy because of the need to remove the ends. Yet it is highly desirable that the reduction be accomplished in the home so that the handling can be expedited at all levels including the collection.

My invention is designed to accomplish the desiderata of easy reduction to proper size and that it be done in the home. I accomplish this by use of a simple device using a lever to provide the necessary force to crush the can, and then a folding mechanism to crease the crushed can and to fold it into a compact mass or pellet for easy handling.

FIGURES FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my device with the lever positioned to show the folding mechanism in its open position,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the lever in the same position as FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a pictorial view with the lever in an intermediate position, and

FIG. 4 is a detailed elevational view showing a can being creased for folding.

DESCRIPTION Briefly my invention comprises a lever operated device having dual operating sides. One side is adapted to crush a can and the other has ridges adapted to crease a can for folding.

More specifically and referring to the drawings, my device is mounted on a flat base which may be either a board or a slab of metal. Preferably, I use a fairly small metal base 11 fastened to the larger wooden base 10 as shown in the figures. A pair of ears 12 on the base 11 provides means by which-the operating means is pivotally journalled on the base.

The operating lever is a composite device built up of a slab like operating member 13 and a handle 14. The operating member is flat on the one side adapted for crushing and is provided with a ridge or wall 15 on the opposite side. This ridge provides for creasing the crushed can as will later appear. As can be seen in the figures, the lever can be swung through an arc of nearly 180 so that both faces of the operating member are usable.

For crushing the can, I provide a series of protuberances or teeth 17 on the base on the side covered by the crushing face of the operating member 13. These teeth are useful for holding the can to prevent rolling, and to puncture aerosol cans when they are to be crushed. Since the can is preferably placed in the device with its axis aligned with the pivot axis of the lever it is quite necessary to prevent its rolling, and the teeth are effective for this purpose.

On the side of the base 11 across the pivot axis from the teeth, I provide a pair of parallel spaced apart ridges 18. The one closest to the pivot axis of the lever is lower and the one further away is higher so that the operating member will contact both at approximately the same angular position of the lever. They are also spaced apart so that the ridge 15 on the operating member falls approximately midway between them as the lever moves downward onto the ridges 18.

In operation, a can is placed on the teeth 17 with its axis crossways of the base 10. The lever is brought down on that side of the device so that the can is crushed between the flat face of the operating member '13 and the teeth. It is not necessary that the ends of the can be removed since there is sufficient force available to crush those ends into the can.

Then the can is transferred to the other side of the device and is laid with its axis lengthwise of the device on the ridges 18. The lever is now brought down on that side (FIG. 4) with the result that the ridge 15 forms a crease in the can between the ridges 18.

When this crease is sufficiently deep, the can may again be transferred back to the crushing side, this time with the crease parallel and adjacent to the pivot axis of the operating lever. The folding of the can is then completed by pressing the operating member onto the can with the result being a fully crushed and folded can. Additional folds, if desired can be accomplished by repeating the creasing and folding operations.

Iclaim:

1. A can crushing and folding device comprising a I a base, a lever pivotally mounted on said base for moveof the lever opposite said crushing face on said lever adapted to interact with said can folding means to crease the can placed on the folding means.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said folding means comprises a pair of parallel, spaced apart ridges on said 'base.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the creasing device is a ridge adapted to be brought into parallel intermediate relationship to the ridges on said base.

4. The device of claim 3 in which handle means is provided on said lever to provide added leverage and force at the operating areas of said device. 

1. A can crushing and folding device comprising a base, a lever pivotally mounted on said base for movement from one side to the other, said base having a crushing face on one side and can folding means on the other side of the pivotal axis of said lever, said lever having a crushing face on the side adapted to meet the crushing face on said base, teeth formed on at least one of said crushing faces to hold a can in place during the crushing operation, and a creasing device on the side of the lever opposite said crushing face on said lever adapted to interact with said can folding means to crease the can placed on the folding means.
 2. The device of claim 1 in which said folding means comprises a pair of parallel, spaced apart ridges on said base.
 3. The device of claim 2 in which the creasing device is a ridge adapted to be brought into parallel intermediate relationship to the ridges on said base.
 4. The device of claim 3 in which handle means is provided on said lever to provide added leverage and force at the operating areas of said device. 